Spring washer



Oct. 20, 1953 c. s. SMITH SPRING WASHER 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed De. s, 1951 v INVENTOR. C/e ve/and ficudaer Jm/fh Oct. 20, 1953 Q s, H 2,656,495

SPRING WASHER Filed Dec. 3, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. C /e vs /ana Scuode'r Sml'fh H/Ls A M/wag.

Patented Oct. 20, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Cleveland s. Smith; Indiana, Pa, assignor w SyntronCompany, Homer Gity,- Pa.,, 3, corporation of Delaware Application December 3, 1951,- Se'riaI No. 259,62?

(Cl. 3 1 Z234 5 Claims. I

This invention relates: gener'allyto metal spring washers and; more particularly to flexible metal spring washers for collecting current on dry" disk rectifiersi. I

Heretofore: it has been proposed to provide a conical 'sectionalized spring washer or a; solid spring. washer" consisting of a nearly" flat section and'. a conical section under: an insulating spa'c'er'is placed.-

insulating washermustib'e ground. to an: enactidimension. If: it is? slightly'too thick, thecont'act washer willtouch: only at the edge of the spring; washer with aminimum of pressure. If the spacer washer is groundttoo thin the contact washer" wur engage the washer with an excess pressure tending to puncture the: rec-"- tiiy'ing. film thereo'm Oneobiect of thisinvention is" to obtainimaxis mum. pressure adjacent the outer: perimeter." oi the-pressure'w'asher withoutendangering the rec ti-iyingfilm Another object is the elimination: of. a close t'ol erancespacer'insulating washer,

Still. another object is the'pr'ovision ofa spring washer that" requires as minimum raised area7between the spring washer and the? rectifier disk of anassembl y, giving maximum spa ce for cooling air between consecutive: rectifier disksa Another object is the: provision ofai current collecting spring washer that provides prog'res-'-- si-ve contact from: adjacent: the perimeter on the spring washer resulting: inprogressively? greater spring resistance without injury totherectifying films Another advantage of this current collecting spring washer lies in-the provision of a'firm: outer edge contact which also provides an efficient cur rent collection member from the thin: sprayed onalloys These characteristics of this spring washer eliminate any danger of puncturing or otherwise destroying the rectifying film.

Another obiectof= this invention is the provi= sion of a spring washer that will have no tendem to turn inside outunder any compressive conditions. v p

A- f urther object oithis invention is the pr o= vision of a current collecting spring washer havingtwcr or more distinct contact rings with intermediate noncontacting regions: The outer contact ring sealsthevarnish andthe intermediate noncontacti-ngsection prevents capillary flow of varnish into inner contact rings'leaving' them varnish-free and hence yieldingiargoodelectr icalcontact ontheinner rings and safeguard the raising. of the outer contact-rings 2 In accordance with: the present invention, the springfwasher is: pro ded withl a" series of annular shoulders providing az t'erraced: effect to give-sufficient pressure on" its outermost circular portion or contact ring, when assembled and pressure is appliedadjacenti the center of theispring Washer.

Aside from providing sufiicient pressure on the outermost I ring: it creates a p'ositi've seal around the outeredge of the spring washer;

Unlike previoussprirrg: washers the spring washer comprising this invention: theadvantage of) applying predeter' ned pressure at its? outer" circumference The: tem aced effect made by the 0t shoulders gi'ves the spring washers: a more flexible spring action, eliminating the necessity oi employing a c1ose tolerance spacer washer; which present spring: washers require. This couplcdwith the"- fact that this washer exerts maximum pressure on the outer circumference. of the spring washer and then contacts at the next inwardly adjacent ring;- instead; of increasing the" pressure. o'n-the outer contact'ring, eliminates the da'ng er of puncturing the rectiiying' film. Because: of the flexibility of this" spring washer" it occupies less space after assembly; allowing. maximum space" between the rectifier disks for cooling air to circulate through the rectifier assemblies.

Gther objects and advantages appear hereinafter in the: following oles'c'ripti'cn'i and' claims.

The accompanying drawing shows for thep'urpose ofi exemplificatibn without limiting the inventiom or claims thereto, certain practical embodimentsof the" inventiort wherein:

Fist t is a sections-r viewof the current col- I lecting 'springzwasher.

Fig. 2 isa plan view of the washer. V Fig; 3' a view siiie elevation with p'artsflin section: showing? the current collecting spring washer as; appliedto": a dr'y disk rectifier stack; Fig. 4 is aLViEW in section showing thesecond annular shoulder contacting the current collecting alloy'ori the dry dish rectifier. 7 Referring" to the drawings the current collecting spring? washer" shown in Figs: l and 2 is preferably made: ofi brass or other suitable metal having good: flexing: characteristics and capa'ble or transmitting" current", The washer shownis approximatel sinte'en tllousand'ths' of an inch thicle and comprises the dish ll having a series of. annulars-lin'ulders 2, 3 and" 4" Whichdefine terracedi sections 5, 6 and i These shoulders and terraced sections. turn define the annular land sections 8, 9, H and H. Theoutermost land' section. II may; be slightly curved as noted on the drawings leaving very little difference between the shoulder i and the land section II. However the perimeter 12 of the washer is fiat or tangent to a transverse plane of the greatest diameter of the washer and each of the land sections 8, 9 and I is preferably substantially parallel to the same transverse plane.

The land section 8 is provided with an opening Is for receiving the bolt in the assembly of the washer and the rectifier stack as shown in Fig.3.

The curvature forming the shoulders 2 is preferably made of a radius of one-sixteenth of an inch and the shoulders 3 and 4 are one-eighth of an inch and they are substantially uniform with respect to one another. The radius at the bottom of the terrace 5 is likewise substantially one-sixteenth of an inch, whereas the radius at the bottom of the terrace 6 is approximately oneeighth of an inch and the radius of the terrace l is a combination curve having a two-inch and a four-inch radius, as indicated by the construction lines [4 and IE on the drawing. The reason for having the greater radius of curvature in the terraces 6 and l is to provide a smooth rounded surface or arcuate surface for engagement on the metal alloy that is sprayed on the surface of the selenium oxide of a rectifier, since a selenium rectifier is used in this instance to illustrate the present invention.

The series of terraced land sections 8, 9 and iii lie in planes which are offset progressively from the center of the disk outwardly and the central land section 8 is furthermost from the lane of greatest diameter that passes through the perimeter of the disk. It will also be noted that the terraces 5, 6 and l are each formed by reverse curves impressed in the stamping that forms the current collecting spring washer as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The washer shown in Fig. 1 is free from pressure and is unflexed in its natural shape. However in Fig. 3 the three washers are mounted in assembled relation under pressure and are caused to flex as illustrated. Referring specifically to Fig. 3 the rectifier assembly is mounted on the bolt it which is shielded by the insulating tubular sleeve H. The one end of the bolt is provided with a nut l8 which is drawn against the pressure washer I9 that is backed up by the insulating washer 20. A smaller insulating washer 2| is employed to space the conductor 22 from the large insulating washer 29, The center of the conductor 22 is blanked out for receiving the insulating tubing H a are all of the parts assembled on this rectifier with the exception of the nuts and the split lock washer at the end of the stack.

Inwardly of the terminal 22 is a metal spacer washer 23 and immediately adjacent the same is one of the current collecting spring washers 24, the central part of which is supported by the insulator washer 25 and the outer surface of which engages the alloy sprayed surface of the selenium rectifier disk 26. The opposite side of the rectifier disk 2-5 is supported by another metal washer 23 and the rectifier disks 2! and 28 are assembled similarly to that just described. The whole stack is mounted on the insulating tubing ll. Another metal washer 30 is provided on the opposite end of the disk 28 and the other electric terminal 3| is provided between the insulating washer 32 and the metal washer 3d. The stack is held in place by the nuts 18 and 33 with the split lock washer 34.

The rectifier disks 26, 2'! and 28, al bei g faced in the same direction, provide a single leg rectifier wherein the current fiows from the electric terminal 3| to the electric terminal 32 and the electrons flow in the opposite direction. This type of a rectifier is known in the art as a single leg or half-wave rectifier and is employed to produce spaced current impulses from an alternating current source, when placed in series with the source and the load. It will be noted that the insulating washer 25 is rather small. As a matter of fact the washers are sixty-two thousandths of an inch in thickness and the insulating washers 25 do not have to be accurately ground owing to the fact that the flexibility of the current collecting washer is not dependent upon the exact thickness of this insulating washer and the thickness of the washer 25 may vary the degree of engagement between the current collecting spring washer. If the washer 25 is somewhat thinner the curvature of the terrace 1 may engage the surface of the rectifier disk, whereas if the washer 25 is greater in thickness only the outer perimeter H engages the sprayed alloy.

When a thinner insulating washer, such as illustrated at 35 in Fig. l, is employed under the current collecting spring washer, the washers are further compressed until the under face of the terrace 5 engages the sprayed alloy surface of the rectifier disk as indicated at 36 and collects current therefrom. When contact is made at 36 any increased pressure due to a thinner washer merely increases the pressure on the alloy and the contact made by the outer portion II of the washer will not raise, which ordinarily would be raised ofi the surface upon increased pressure on the center by reason of the tilting of the washer on the meniscus functioning as a fulcrum and formed by the coating material such as the varnish used to coat the rectifier. With an ordinary conical current collecting washer the varnish passes by capillary attraction, or due to unevenness of the contact, under the perimeter of the spring washer and will accumulate in a large mass as a meniscus. When this hardens and :acts a fulcrum it is readily seen that additional pressure on the washer merely raises the perimetral edge out of contact thus breaking the circuit. This may happen if the insulating washer shrinks or gets thinner due to the constant pressure. This cannot happen to the washer comprising this invention as the second contact ring 36 prevents further movement of the outer ring and thus two contact rings are maintained.

I claim:

1. A current collecting spring washer for use on dry disk rectifiers comprising a flexible metal disk having a plurality of annular concentric shoulders forming terraces and defining an equal number of annular land sections each lying in planes ofi'set progressively from the center of the disk outwardly, the central land section being furthermcs-t from the plane of greatest diameter.

2. The structure of claim 1 characterized in that the outer perimeter of said disk merges into the outermost shoulder with an arc forming a reverse curve therewith.

3. The structure of claim 1 which also includes a rectifier cell surface member to be contacted in stacked relation whereon more than one of said shoulders make contact with the rectifier cell surface.

4. The structure of claim 3 characterized in that only two shoulders adjacent the perimeter make contact with the rectifier cell surface.

5. The structure of claim 3 characterized in that said current collecting spring washer has only two shoulders the outermost of which makes contact with said member to seal the inner shoulder against penetration of varnish, said inner shoulder also making good electrical con.- tact with the surface and not impeded by any varnish film between said Washer and said member.

CLEVELAND S. SMITH.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Kipphan Oct. 25, 1938 Geel *et a1 Dec. 1, 1942 Blumenthal Nov. 9, 1948 Howe Sept. 27, 1949 

